We rely on freelancers for the majority of our stories and departments. All wine reviews, special tastings, and book reviews are handled in-house or on assignment only. Please review these guidelines and recent issues of the magazine in order to familiarize yourself with our format and subject matter. Bear in mind that we plan our editorial calendar as much as a year in advance, and we follow the seasons closely.

Submit a written query before sending a finished piece. If you have not written for us before, please enclose samples of your writing, preferably work that has been published. Queries are accepted by mail at Northwest Palate, PO Box 10860, Portland, OR 97296, or email (you may call us first if you like) and will be answered within three months. Materials will be returned only if you provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

"Inns & Lodges" Profiles of inns, lodges, resorts, hotels, and B&Bs in the Pacific Northwest. These are often accompanied by recipes from the inn's restaurant or chef.

"Wine" Includes profiles of Northwest wineries, discussions of particular varietals, round-ups of good value wines, stories about wine and food pairing, and more.

"Artisans" Profiles of artisans in the food and wine world, from bread-bakers to wine-label artists.

"Flavors" Focusing on a particular cuisine, dish, or ingredient. Usually includes recipes.

"In Our Kitchen" In which a rising or renowned Northwest chef visits our Portland kitchen and prepares a dish or demonstrates a technique. These stories include recipes.

"Excursions" Outings in the Pacific Northwest that emphasize outdoor activities, within the context of food, wine, or lodging.

"Last Course" An essay or article of no more than 700 words, on any subject within our normal editorial scope. This is an opportunity to offer personal or humorous reflections, or to describe, with brevity and flair, an interesting phenomenon, person, activity, or place.

Features
Feature stories range from 2000-2500 words, and offer more in-depth treatment of the subjects mentioned above. Some of our most common topics are "destination" stories, in which the writer explores the lodgings, wineries, eateries, and other attractions of a Pacific Northwest destination.

For a complete set of writers' guidelines, including rates and rights, email or call us.